Generally, sinus surgery involves the removal of diseased sinus tissue with improvement in the natural drainage channels by the creation of a pathway for infected material to drain from the sinus cavities. In recent years, the surgeon will employ endoscopic techniques which allow better and more precise visualization without the need for external incisions. Endoscopic sinus surgery typically results in less swelling, bleeding, and discomfort, and a faster recovery from sinus surgery.
Endoscopic sinus surgery may be performed under local or general anesthesia. The procedure involves the use of a small telescope (nasal endoscope) that is inserted into the nasal cavity through the nostril to visualize your nose and sinuses. The primary goal of the surgery is to identify the narrow channels that connect the paranasal sinuses to the nasal cavity, enlarge these areas and improve the drainage from the sinuses into the nose.
Despite advances in sinus surgery, patients still suffer from certain post-operative conditions. For example, some patients may have noticeable swelling of the nose, upper lip, cheeks, or around the eyes for several days after surgery, which will gradually go away and is often treated with ice-packs.
In addition, moderate bleeding from the nose is common and will also gradually decrease. In order to address the bleeding, it is well known to use gauze dressing also known as a “mustache dressing.” The dressing is used to collect blood and should be changed as needed. It is not unusual to change these dressings every hour during the first 24 hours after surgery.
In more detail, a nasal drip pad consisting of a medical gauze pad (such as a 2×2 or 4×4 inch cotton pad) is applied to the patient under the nostrils and held in place via an adhesive such as tape. Specifically, the adhesive is applied over the gauze pad and affixed directly to the patient's cheeks to hold the gauze directly under the patient's nostrils to collect blood and other fluid.
Although the use of gauze pad taped to a patient's face functions to collect the blood and other fluid from the patient, it suffers from certain disadvantages. For example, as the gauze pad or other fabric must be attached, such as via tape or adhesive to the patient's face, it is not a single all-in-one disposable dressing as they consist of multiple parts, which is less efficient. Moreover, some patients are allergic to certain adhesives and the adhesive may be irritating to the skin and can be uncomfortable to the patient as the adhesive is in direct contact with the patient's face. As the gauze pad collects fluid, it also must be periodically changed, which requires removing the adhesive from the patient's cheeks, which can add to the irritation and discomfort and is time-reused, which is not particularly sanitary and can lead to infections and the like.
Accordingly, there is a need for a more efficient, more comfortable and less cumbersome nasal drip pad to accommodate patients after sinus surgery or nasal reconstruction surgery. The improved nasal drip pad should increase the patient's comfort while wearing it and also allow the gauze to be more easily changed. Moreover, the improved nasal drip pad is primarily designed to be used as a single use application, which promotes sanitization and decreases the risk for infection.